Stave-jointing machine.



No. 850,144. N PATENTED APR. 16, 1907.

' ArDUNBA STAVE JOINTING momma.

LPPLIOATIOI FILED OUT-20, 1902.

Tn: main nun m, uranium, a. c.

ITO-85.03144. PATENTED APR.1 6. 1901. v A. DUNBAR.

3 smvs JOINTING MACHINE.

- APPLIGATION- rum) 001220, 1902.

8BHEET8-EHBET 1n; mun-winnim N o."850,14 1. PATENTED APR. 16, 1907.

- A. DUNBAR.

STAVE JOINTING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED 00120, 1902.

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a sums-sum mum-on 1 I PAITB'NTED APR. 16,190!

i A. DUNBAR. STAVB JOINTING MACHINE;

APPLICATION FILED OUT 30, 1902 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

STAVE-JOINTING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 16, 1907.

Application m October 20,1902. Serial No. 127,978.

To all UJIZLOI'II/ it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER DUNBAR, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Liverpool, in the county of Lancaster, England, have invented new and useful Improvements in Stave-Jointing Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawm s.

lhe invention relates to stave-jointing machines in which a stave clamped upon bearers carried by a reciprocating frame is caused to pass between cutters which cut the edges of the stave to approximately the curves longitudinally and the angles inwardly desired, the latter being technically known as injoint. In machines as hitherto constructed, while it might be possible to obtain a close approximation to the correct curves and injoint for one definite width of staves, the curves and injoints on other widths of staves were inaccurate, so that when a caskwas formed of such staves some joints were open on the inside and some on the outside. This necessitated very great pressure when trussing and hooping, even to the extent of crushing the edges of the staves in order to obtain a water-tight joint.

The objects of my invention are to construct stave-jointing machinery whereby staves of any or varying widths may be accurately jointed and cut to the desired curves on the edges, so that tight joints may be obtained without great pressure in trussing and so that the curve of the bilge of a cask may be continued nearer the ends of the cask than has been practicable hitherto, thus forming a fuller and more regular quarter on the cask, which increases the capacity without increasing the diameter at the bilge or heads, also whereby the staves may be more accurately centered before being jointed, whereby stiff crooked staves. may be accurately jointed, and, further, to provide simple means forpushing staves into position to be jointed and afterward away from the ma chine. I attain these objects by mechanism such as is illustrated in the drawings form ing part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a plan with part of the upper gearing omitted for clearness. Fig. 2 is a side elevation. Fig. 3 is an end view at the line A A on Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is a transverse section at the line B B on Fig. 1, all illustrative of one form of machinery constructed under my invention and acting with two pairs of cutters, one pair commencing their cuts at the end of the stave and finishing at the center, and the other pair commencing their cuts at the center and finishin at the other end. Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of a single-piece templet. nal central section of Fig. 7. Fig. 7 is a section on the line A A of F ig. 6, showing the stave-guide mechanism; and Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of the feelers with the slide-supporting block, and Fig. 9 is a detail view of the templet and sections.

2 3 4 5 are four cutter-spindles carrying cutters 6 7 8 9, respectively, at their lower ends. The spindles are each mounted in two bearings 10 11, 12 13, 14 15, and 16 17, res ectively, and these bearings are at tac ed, respectively, to cutter-frames or carrying-pieces 18 19 20 21, which rest and are free to slide upon plates or supports 22 23, such plates or supports being secured in any convenient way to the main framing 24 of the machine. 25 26 27 28 are antifrict1onrollers or like devices, pivoted, respectively, on the frames 18 19 20 21 and rolling on cam ways 29 3O 31- 32, thus supporting the cutterframes in such way that the lower inner edges of the cutters are always ap roximately about the same level horizontal y below the lower side of the stave, notwithstanding that the cutter-fr'ames may be moved in or out laterally to various positions, as hereinafter mentioned. 33 34 are rods, one end of each being pivoted to the upper parts of the frames 18 19, respectively, while the other ends are pivoted to the arms of a lever 35. 36 37 are rods, one end of each being pivoted to the upper parts of the frames 20 21, while the other ends are pivoted to the arms of a lever 38. The levers 35 38 are secured on a rock-shaft 39, carried in bearings on the framework. On the shaft 39 is secured another lever 40, to which is pivoted a rod' 41 adjustable in length by right and left hand screws or by other means. The other end of the rod 41 is pivoted to one arm of a lever 42, by the motion of which the upper parts of the cutterframes and the cutter-shafts are moved in or out, thus varying the angle of the cutters Fig. 6 is a longitudi-.

with regard to the stave width of thes the more nearl angle. Thi

, according to the 81 82, respectively, by means of links 83 s angle is te and may be iameters or f thicknesses or of difleren seasoning, hardness of tim his arm, to which the varied for casks of therewith. The slides 80 81 staves of different :ied. on the frame 69 and are s t character' as to that as the templets a: ber, &c., bymaksuch templets rise or fall 82 are also car et at an angle so e moved in or out accordingly for the lower end of the purpose hereafter mentioned.

uts 43 or in other otcd to the lower parts of the cutt ary the motion of 18 19, respectively, the other end t is necessary to allow f 86 87 are rods, one end of each being pivcefiames s being pivoted to two arms of a lever 88, mounted or varying the inloosely on a shaft 89, secured. to the framepurposes will work. etically-exact 90 91 are rods, one end of each being piv- 80 of the oted to the lower parts of the cutter-frames somng, or the de- 20 21, respectively, the other ends being pivjoint, as the ar generally differ f angle, accordin stave, its condi rom the theoi g to the lateral s are provided witl 45, to which a1 The other ends oted t0 slide b in a slide 50, a and carry, pivot 54, respectively loosely on a rock- 1 adjustable slide respectively, the rods hese rods are pivlocks48 49, which are movable ttached to the ed on studs The lever 42 1s shaft 55 and is held 51 52 feelers 5?:

ee to slide t hrough an eye 59 in nd secured at each end to arms so that such slidefr eely through the lever 42,

wheel 65, by

turning whic be moved H1 0 oted to two arms of a lever 92, also mounted loosely on the shaft 89-. The leve;-.s 88 92 have also weighted arms 93 94, whereby the 8 5 lower parts of the cutter-frames and the cutters are continually pressed inward toward the center.

95 96 are links, one end of each being pivoted to the lower parts of the frames 18 20, respectively, through openings 97in the plates 22 23, the other ends being pivoted, respectively, to slide-blocks 98 99, which are movable in slides 100 101, attached to the plates 22 23. 102 103 are brackets or studs secured g 5 to the slide-blocks 98 99, respectively, each bracket carrying an antifriction-roller 104 105, which rest upon the templets 75 76, respectively, therebyregulating the distance to l which the cutters can be pressed in by the weighted arms 93 94. The templets 75 76 are of varying contour, being straight, or nearly so, at the lower edge corresponding to the narrowest stave, while at the upper edge they are curved to correspond to the fullest curve 10 5 required. on the quarter of the stave. When a single templet is used instead of a jointed I one, the curve at theupper edge is the fullest irregularity in em, as hereafter pporting-bar a stave pushed bementioned.

s of the usual kind for s 67 are carrie om each other in usual way by reerwise, as desii ed.

blocks 68, movable t nneoting-rods 72, secured to earings on the main gear-wheel 74 or by a shaft 73, carried in b frame and rotated by a other convenient means.

75 76 are tem re Ulffed for both bilge and quarter of the wi est stave, so that the stave is cut to the no exact curve longitudinally corresponding to its width and to the position of the rollers 104 105 with regard to the templets which is regulated by the rise or fall of the templets as they are moved in or out, the rollers bearing 1 r 5 on the lower part of the templets for the narrowest staves and on the upper part for the widest staves. r 106 is a lever pivoted to the main frame and actuated by a cam 107 on the shaft 73.

108 109 are rods pivoted to the lever 106 the ends of the weighted arms 93 94 whereby, through the action of the cam 107, the arms 93 94 may be raised and the cutters ished one pushed out. Instead of the cutters being pressed inward by the weighted arms 93 94 they may be arranged to be drawn out, and in this case the templets would be reversed and the rollers 104 105 would rest on the inner sides of the templets, whiclrwould regulate the extent to which the cutters could be drawn out, or by having two pair of rollers inside and outside motion in both directions could be given by the templets to the cutters. These arrangements are, however, not so good as those illustrated on the draw- .are clamping-bars suspended by toggle-links 111 from bars 110?, carried by the slide-blocks 68, as shown in Fig. 2. 112 are links connecting the toggle-links to levers 1 13 on shafts 114, journaled on the slide-blocks 68. 115 are weighted arms secured-on the shafts 114, whereby the clamping-bars are pressed down on a stave between them and the supporting-bars 67. 116 are levers secured on a shaft 117 and actuated by a cam 118 on the shaft 73 and provided with slotted rods 119, whereby the. arms 115 may be raised and the clamping-bars raised off the stave to release it when finished. These parts are of any well-known construction.

120 is a roller bearing upon the clampingbars 110 and journaled in rods or bars 121, which pass down through guides 122 and are connected to weighted levers 123, pivoted on the plates 22 23, so that an extra downward pressure is exerted by the roller 120 on the clamping-bars between the cutters, so that when a very thick crooked stave is being out which cannot be straightened on the supporting-bars by the usual clamping mechanism the parts of such stave which are being acted on by the cutters will nevertheless be kept in or nearly in proper position to be accurately jointed, although the other partsof the stave may be out of position for the time until they come to the cutting-point, each clamping-bar being, owing to the freedom of the weighted arms 115, capable of an'independent rocking motion vertically without releasing its pressure on the stave.

124 are a pair of guides for centering the middle of the stave on the supporting-bars. Each one of the pair is pivoted separately to a slide-block 125, movable in a slide 126 by a screw 127 or other convenient means. The slide 126 is attached to the main framework. In order to insure more accurate simultaneous movement of the pair, I make use of levers 128, attached to the pivots of the guides and connected at their outer ends by links 129 to a slide-block 130, movable in a slide 131, secured to the slide-block 125. The pivots of the levers, links, and guides may be conical or otherwise made so that there is no slack or backlash. 132 are arms also attached to the pivots of the guides 124 and provided with weights 133, attached to chains passing over pulleys 134, so as to press the outer ends of the guides toward each other.

135 are a second pair of guides for centering the hinder end of the stave. These guides are pivoted separately to a slide-block 136, movable in a slide 137, which is formed in the slide-block 125. A screw 138, mounted on theslide-block and taking into a nut 139 on the block 136, may be used for moving and securing the guides laterally relatively to the guides 124, so as to obtain exact parallel adjustment, both pairs of guides being thereafter moved together by the screw 127, as required, when it is desired. to cut more off one side of a stave than off the other.

140 are levers attached to the pivots of the guides 135 and connected at their outer ends by links 141 to a slide-block 142, movable in a slide 143, which may be formed in the same piece as the slide 131 or in a separate piece attached to the slide block 136. 144 are arms also attached to the pivots of the guides 135 and provided with weights similar to 133, attached to chains passing over pulleys similar to 134, so as to press the outer ends of the guides together.

The staves may be pushed into position on the supporting-b ars 67 by any well-known or convenient mechanism.

Instead of the two bearings of each cuttershaft being secured to one frame they may be pivoted or secured to separate frames, the frames for the upper bearings being movable in or out on cam ways or slides by rods similar to 33 34 36 37 and connections, while the frames for the lower bearings are also movable in or out on other cam ways or slides by rods and links similar to 86 87 9O 91 95 96 and connections. Further, the cutter shafts and frames might be arranged below the level of the stave instead of above, and the desired lateral and angular motion may be communicated to the cutters by any other convenient arrangement of mechanism operated from or in conjunction with the mechanism which operates the feelers 53 54. I prefer, however, an arrangement similar to that shown on the drawings. Instead of the templets being carried on inclined slides they may, as will be obvious, be raised or lowered by any other convenient mechanism while being moved. in or out, or instead of the templets being movable up and down the rollers 104 105 or the equivalent devices may be moved up or down, say by sliding the rollers on their spindles attached to the brackets or by carrying such rollers on arms pivoted to the slide-blocks 98 99, such up or down motion being given to the rollers, &c., by connections to levers or arms on the rock-shaft 55 in a similar manner to the connections to the templet slide-blocks before described or in other convenient way.

Instead of having templets jointed. in the center, as shown, a single templet corresponding to the full length of a stave may be used, and such templet is contoured from a straigliit line, or nearly so, at one edge to the fullest curve required for the bilge and the quarter on the widest finished stave, the bilge being the difference inwidth of the center of a finished stave from the width at the end, while the quarter is the variation of the edge of a stave from a straight line drawn from one end of the edge to the center of the edge, and the position of such templet and the antifriction-rollers or the like resting thereon may be adjusted with relation to each other by automatic mechanism, as above described, or by hand or in other convenient way, as desired.

Although I have described and shown all the cutter-frames being operated from templets on one side only of the machine by means of reverse levers and rods, these levers and rods might be dispensed with, and duplicate templets, such as 75 76, might be arranged on the other side of the frame 69 to control the motion of the cutter-frames 19 21, such templets being mounted on slides and operated from a second rock-shaft, such as 55, mounted on the other side of the frame and operated from the feeler mechanism or from the rock-shaft 55 by a rod and reverselever or in any convenient way. Further, instead of two pairs of cutters only one pair might be used, and in such case they would be arranged and movable in a vertical transverse plane at the center of the machine, a single templet and reverse-levers or a templet on each side being employed to control the motion of the cutter-frames, as before described.

When the greatest accuracy is required in the cutter-angles, so as to obtain correct injoint from the center to end of staves, and

, especially when it is desired to use short cut tor-shafts, I prefer to employ for controlling the lateral motion of the upper part of the cutter-frame a templet supported on slidesfixed to the movable frame 69, such templet having antifriction-rollers resting thereon and connected by slides and links to the upper part of the cutter-frames, reverse weighted levers and links being also used to keep the rollers against the templets in a similar manner to that above described for the lower part of the cutter-frame In fact, to obtain a theoretically-correct angle the whole length of the edge of the st'ave the templet should be an exact duplicate of that for the lower part of the cutter-frame but this may be varied, if desired. The templet is to be moved in or out on its slides by connections from the arm of the lever 42, as above described for the levers 35 38, and links 33 34 36 37 or other convenient mechanism may be used. for giving a small parallel lateral motion to the cutter-fran'ies, while the mechanism first described. may be used for giving the motion which. varies the angle of the cutter-shafts.

What I claim is 1. In combination with stave-jointing machinery a templet of contour varying from nearly a straight line longitudinally at one edge to any desired curve at the other edge, a movable frame carrying a cutter-shaft, con nections from the movable cutter-frame bearing on the templet adapted to regulate the lateral position of the cutter, mechanism adapted to maintain the cutter-frame connections in contact with the templet, and mechanism adapted to vary the position of the cutter-frame connections and templet relatively to each other and transversely to the longitudinal travel of the templet, substantially as described.

2. In combination with stave-jointing machinery, a pair of feelers arranged to touch the center of the edges of a stave, a templet of contour varying from nearly a straight line longitudinally at one edge to any desired curve at the other edge, a movable frame carrying a cutter-shaft, connections from the movable cutter-frame bearing on the templet adapted to regulate the lateral position of the cutter, mechanism adapted to maintain the cutter-frame connections in contact with the templet, and mechanism connected with the feelers and adapted to vary the position of the cutter-frame connections and templet relatively to each other and transversely to the longitudinal travel of the templet, substantially as described.

3. In combination with stave-jointing machinery a pair of pivoted centering-guides provided with lever-arms, a link connected to the outer end of each arm the other ends of said links being connected to a common block movable in a slide, as described.

A. In combination with stave-jointing machinery a slide block carrying a pair of guides for centering one part of a stave, a second slide-block mounted and movable in the first slide-block and carrying a second pair of guides for centering another part of the stave, means for adjusting the second slide-block relatively to the first, and means for moving the slide-blocks laterally, substantially as described.

5. In stave -jointing machinery, cuttershaft carriers supported at one point on camways, which are adapted to maintain one edge of the cutters at a certain perpendicular distance with relation to the flat side of the stave, mechanism for regulating the position of the cutter-shaft carriers on the camways, and mechamsm for moving a different part of the cutter-shaft carriers and the cutters laterally; substantially as described.

6. In combination With stave-jointing maname to this specification in the presence of chinery, stave-clen1p1ng bars mounted and two subscribing wltnesses.

arranged to receive a rocking motion and a .r- 7

weighted roller arranged to press hn the ALEMNDER DUNBAR' 5 stave-clamping bars near the cutting-point, Witnesses:

substantially as described. W. B. JOHNSON,

In testimony whereof I have signed my I E. OWEN. 

